Ok, I understand this reasoning in the pure local sense. Turning them against their fellow detainees is important to the prison commandant. But surely this is not the reasoning that leads to policy changes at the top level?

So then we think of propaganda, as in the Vietnam situation. However, I don't see it used in this case. I'll admit I only pass over the Arab media in a cursory manner (who can read everything?) but I haven't seen much of the propaganda that would come out of a "recanting" by a high-level operative.

So, I am still struggling to understand the rationale.